Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/537687
58 / the tasting panel / july 2015 EVENT RECAP trated fruit. "Playing off Shirley's remarks, Leamy shed some light on his love for Zinfandel—including his Terra d'Oro 2012 Amador Zinfandel—by mention- ing its versatility and the inherent joy it possesses. "It's a fruit-forward wine and I love that. Because of the grape's ability to take on many different flavors and aromas, it's always a party when Zinfandel is around." The party continued with even more red wine from the Trinchero Family Estates portfolio: Taken 2012 Red and Trinchero Napa Valley 2011 Cloud's Nest Cabernet Sauvignon. Monticelli reiterated the importance of making a wine with a sense of terroir; by doing so, he created an interesting wine both in the glass and accompanying food. Like all good luncheons, we ended the afternoon with a blind tasting—or as Monticelli likes to say: "The most humbling experience as a winemaker." Both the Trinchero Napa Valley 2010 Daybreak Merlot—grown in a cool area of Napa, making it very complex—and the Terra d'Oro 2012 Deaver Zinfandel—an outlier for its style, made from grapes sourced from a 20-acre shallow and rocky lot consisting of 130-plus-year-old Zinfandel vines, threw the attendees for a loop, but isn't surprising palates and keeping a few tricks up their sleeves what makes these winemakers so excit- ing to follow and learn from? Also at Corner Table in Minneapolis, MN, (left to right) Andy Olson, Banquet Manager, Hazeltine National Golf Club; Rachel Domenichetti, Wine Director, The Kenwood; Timothy O'Neal, Wine Director, Louie's Wine Dive; Nicole and Daron Close, owners, Acqua Restaurants; and Cathy Justice, Wine Buyer, Hazeltine National Golf Club. TASTING NOTES Terra d'Oro 2014 Chenin Blanc & Viognier "A lovely tropical nose leads into a zippy mouthfeel—very clean and unobstructed acid."—Rachel Domenichetti, The K enwood, Minneapolis, MN Complicated 2013 Chardonnay "Clean, crisp, tight; a Burgundy-esque Chardonnay."—Bryce Quinn, Café Latte, St. Paul, MN Napa Cellars 2013 Chardonnay "A soft, feminine and well-integrated Pinot with some baking spice and dark cherry at the end."—Steven Brown, Tilia, Minneapolis, MN Folie à Deux 2012 Pinot Noir "Strawberries and purple flowers; soft and round—delicious!"—Nicole Close, Acqua Restaurants, St. Paul, MN Napa Cellars 2013 Pinot Noir "Light red fruit and rose aromatics—a tight Pinot with plenty of grip."— Timothy O'Neal, Louie's Wine Dive, Minneapolis, MN Folie à Deux 2012 Zinfandel "Great flavor with a lot of punch—dark fruit with some pepper and spice."—Andy Olson, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, MN Terra d'Oro 2012 Amador Zinfandel "Wonderful Zin spice! Bright, forward fruit; textbook Amador!"—David Anderson, France 44, Minneapolis, MN Taken 2012 Red "Fruit forward with a deep nose, light/smooth spice; an 'everything' wine—very versatile."— Cathy Justice, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, MN Trinchero Napa Valley 2011 Cloud's Nest Cabernet Sauvignon "The strength of dark fruit with light herba- ceous notes are balanced by vanilla/ caramel notes." —Court Winjum, Chianti Grill, Burnsville, MN Our guests at Corner Table in Minneapolis, MN, (left to right) Bryce Quinn, Wine Bar Manager, Café Latte; Linda Quinn, owner, Café Latte; Court Winjum, Director of Operations, Chianti Grill; David Anderson, Partner Emeritus, France 44; Bill Belkin, Category Manager of Wine, Beer and Spirits, Lunds & Byerlys; and Ryan Oberland, owner, Redstone Restaurants. PHOTO: JAIMEE MORSE PHOTO: JAIMEE MORSE